NCJ Number
51189
Journal
Canadian Journal of Criminology Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 418-436
Date Published
1978
Length
19 pages
Annotation
TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE IN DETERMINING FUTURE JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY IN LIGHT OF THE HISTORY OF JUVENILE TRAINING SCHOOLS, EXISTING AND PAST JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, ARE REVIEWED.
Abstract
THE LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF TRAINING SCHOOLS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA IS DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH THE CLIENTELE OF THE TRAINING SCHOOLS, REASONS FOR THE REPEAL OF THE TRAINING SCHOOLS ACT, THE FOUNDATIONS OF A NEW POLICY BETWEEN 1969 AND 1972, THE JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY GOVERNMENT BETWEEN 1969 AND 1972, RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BERGER COMMISSION ON THE ROLE OF TRAINING SCHOOLS, AND THE FINAL DAYS OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE RETURN TO POWER OF THE SOICAL CREDIT PARTY. BETWEEN 1969 AND 1975 BRITISH COLUMBIA JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY WAS UNIQUE IN CANADA IN ITS EMPHASIS ON REDUCING THE INSTITUTIONAL CONFINEMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS. THE INITIATIVES IN THIS DIRECTION WERE LARGELY THE RESULT OF A PROFOUND DISILLUSIONMENT ON THE PART OF PROFESSIONALS IN THE SOCIAL WORK AND CORRECTIONS FIELDS WITH THE PAST RECORD OF TRAINING SCHOOLS. DURING THE SHORT TIME THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY GOVERNMENT WAS IN POWER THERE WAS A BRIEF PERIOD WHEN IT WAS BELIEVED THAT RECOURSE TO SECURE CONFINEMENT OF JUVENILES COULD BE PERMANENTLY ABANDONED, AND IN 1969 THE TRAINING SCHOOLS ACT WAS REPEALED. HOWEVER, THE VIEWS OF THE REFORMING PROFESSIONALS WERE NOT SHARED BY THE PUBLIC AT-LARGE AND INFLUENTIAL COMMUNITY CONSTITUENCIES. INCREASINGLY DURING THE 1970'S, AS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS GREW MORE PRESSING, THE OUTLOOK OF THE AVERAGE CITIZEN BECAME MORE CONSERVATIVE. IN TIME THIS LED TO THE DEFEAT OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE ELECTION OF A GOVERNMENT LESS ORIENTED TOWARD REFORM AND MORE COMMITTED TO THE PRAGMATIC CONCERNS OF ADULTS IN A SOCIETY TROUBLED BY ECONOMIC INSECURITY AND SOCIAL DISCORD. WITH THE RETURN OF THE SOCIAL CREDIT PARTY, A DECISION WAS MADE EARLY IN 1976 TO REACTIVATE A FORMER TRAINING SCHOOL AS A REMAND AND ASSESSMENT CENTER. LATE IN SEPTEMBER 1976, PLANS WERE ANNOUNCED FOR A RESURRECTED CONTAINMENT PROGRAM FOR HARDCORE JUVENILE OFFENDERS WHICH WOULD INCLUDE DETENTION CENTERS IN VANCOUVER AND VICTORIA AND TWO FORESTRY CAMPS. THE DETENTION CENTERS WOULD HOUSE UP TO 30 JUVENILES, WHILE THE FORESTRY CAMPS WOULD HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CONFINE UP TO 100. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED. (KBL)